Decision details

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1)    Notes and considers the 4 responses from the consultation on the PAN change to community primary phase set out in the report, along with the select committee comments;

2)    Agrees the proposal to reduce the Published Admissions Number (PAN) for Field End Infant School from 90 to 60, taking affect from September 2027;

3)    Agrees that the Local Authority supports the following proposals submitted following formal consultations from non-community schools, which are all taking affect from September 2027.

a)    Field End Junior School to reduce its PAN from 90 to 60

b)   St Martin’s Church of England Primary School to reduce its PAN from 60 to 30

c)    Park Academy West London to reduce its PAN from 180 to 150,

Reasons for decisions

The Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education introduced a report proposing to reduce the Published Admissions Number (PAN) of Field End Infant School. It was clarified that the school currently educates children aged 3 to 7 and that the PAN would be reduced from 90 to 60 from September 2027. This aligned the infant school with Field End Junior School, which had moved to a two?form?entry model two years earlier. The Cabinet Member confirmed that there would still be sufficient school places for local families and siblings and that the reduction would also adjust the school’s distance priority radius in line with the Council’s admissions arrangements.

It was also reported that the Council was supporting PAN reductions at other non community schools as set out in the report. The Cabinet Member explained that reductions reflected the significant fall in pupil numbers being experienced across London and that the Council was increasingly needing to manage school capacities to ensure sustainability.

The Leader of the Council noted that falling rolls were impacting London boroughs widely and that Hillingdon had been comparatively less affected to date. He concurred that such measures were necessary to ensure the long term viability of schools and anticipated further interventions in future.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided to not change the existing three form entry but considered there to be implications of this on the schools’ finances and sustainability.